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As is often the case with pleasant dreams, Odion Ighalo’s time at Manchester United ended with something of an anti-climax.

What had started with such warmth and goodwill 12 months prior – the eminently gratifying story of a childhood fan attaining the seemingly impossible – tailed off into nothing at all, as excitement and expectation gave way to drab reality.

Of his 23 appearances for the Red Devils over the course of his loan (he scored five times), only five came in the 2020/21 season; an eye-watering 78 percent of his playing total in terms of minutes coming in the second half of the previous campaign. This fits perfectly with the general theme: he was brought in as a temporary stopgap, and as soon as United acquired the services of Edinson Cavani, he became a largely superfluous presence about the place.

It also feeds the prevailing notion that he should have opted against extending the initial six-month loan period. In fairness, certain considerations may have forced his hand, not least of which was the situation with the coronavirus pandemic and how tenable a return to mainland China would have been in the circumstance.

Most crucially, however, was perhaps the fact the initial loan period actually went better than even he might have hoped.

While not a starter by any stretch, Ighalo popped up with important goals when he was afforded minutes in the Europa League and the FA Cup.

That gave the lie to the sense that, in heading out to China, he was finished as a serious factor on the biggest stage, and may have ultimately convinced him of the utility of sticking around a little longer, if only to remain in the shop window for a move back to English football.

That is a bet that has not come off, with the striker now turning out for Saudi Arabian side Al Shabab. While it is one of the biggest clubs in the country, it is impossible not to wonder if Ighalo could not have done better.

At 31, he is hardly a relic. And while his quality may not have been quite at the level required by a club of Manchester United’s standing, his stint at Old Trafford demonstrated that, on his day, he was well capable of rising to the challenge of excellence.

Physically, the former Nigeria is not significantly diminished, and his hunger – if the motivation is right – has not waned.

So maybe the top half of the Premier League might have been a stretch.

However, could the likes of Fulham, Brighton and Hove Albion and West Bromwich Albion, all of whom have been undermined (albeit to varying degrees) by their inability to find the back of the net, have taken a punt on a proven international?

The Cottagers and the Baggies signed Josh Maja and Mbaye Diagne respectively, both fine players in their own rights, but neither likely to move the needle significantly or boasting the Premier League experience of Ighalo.

Basically, he could have done a job still for any number of teams in the English pyramid, excluding the top half of the Premier League table.

Failing that, a move to, say, Major League Soccer could have been fruitful. It is a well-worn path for Premier League forwards just starting to dip, and has been trodden by the likes of Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez, among others. With MLS's growing profile, it is the sort of environment within which a new purpose can be found, and a career can be prolonged.

Saudi Arabia just feels, conversely, like a culmination rather than a stop-over, and suggests an acceptance on Ighalo’s part of his own decline.

One final money move, which for a professional footballer is fair enough. Viewed another way, it seems eminently logical: having lived his gilded dream, what more might he have been expected to strive for?

It is now back to reality; and reality’s currency is rather greener and more mundane.

Sofapaka head coach Ken Odhiambo is not impressed with his charges despite a 2-0 win over Zoo FC in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League game played at Kasarani Annex on Wednesday.

Lawrence Juma and Kepha Aswani earned the goals in a dominant first half for Batoto ba Mungu and the visitors were lucky not to concede more in the subsequent half.

Despite the victory, the experienced tactician has explained why he was not impressed by his players.

"Yes we won the game but I was not impressed; we would have won by a bigger margin, considering we got so many chances especially in the second half," Odhiambo told Goal.

"It is something my players need to be serious about because if you get a team you can beat six or seven goals, you should take the chances and score."

On Wednesday, Sofapaka threatened in the seventh minute when Collins Wakhungu was set through on goal by Stephen Otieno but Zoo’s Brian Lumumba did well to punch out the shot targeted at his goal.

After Lumumba had denied them, Sofapaka started another build-up that ended up producing the opener three minutes later. Wakhungu set Juma through on goal and the former Gor Mahia midfielder – who scored a hat-trick against Mathare United – managed to find the back of the net.

Wakhungu, who was lively from the first whistle, was unlucky to see his effort parried over the bar by Lumumba in the 12th minute as Sofapaka mounted more attacks.

Otieno would have made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute but his shot went just wide as an isolated Lumumba was again exposed by his backline.

Batoto ba Mungu were not to be denied in the 28th minute when Aswani scored with an assist from Roy Okal. At this point, Zoo were clearly unable to deal with a Sofapaka side that attacked from all angles.

The 2009 champions are now in the ninth position with 14 points that have come from the 10 matches they have played.

Zoo, who are still in search of their first win this season, are at the bottom of the table with just two points from the eight games they have played.

Mamelodi Sundowns defender Mosa Lebusa says it was difficult watching from the sidelines as a combination of injuries and good form by his teammates curtailed his game time.

Lebusa played for one minute in Sundowns' 4-3 win over AmaZulu on November 22 last year and then had to wait until January 16 for his next appearance in the league, a 0-0 draw against SuperSport United in the Tshwane derby.

Since then he has been featuring regularly and has started and completed the full 90 minutes in the Brazilians' last five league encounters, as well as playing 120 minutes in last weekend's 3-2 extra-time win over Stellenbosch FC in the Nedbank Cup.

"It took me about three months to make my first start as I was out, and that was frustrating for me,” Lebusa admitted, as quoted by the Daily Sun.

“The team was doing well if you remember, there was a time when the team went about five games without conceding and as a defender there was no chance for one to come in as the guys were doing well.

“The injuries were also not giving me a chance. It was frustrating at times, but I was happy the team was doing well," he added.

The former Ajax Cape Town defender now has more competition on his hands following the signings of Rushine De Reuck and Brian Mandela.

The Sundowns defence has only conceded seven goals in 15 league games. Lebusa, who plays in the centre of defence now, having started out mainly as a left-back during his Ajax days, has credited the system Downs employ for their impressive record.

“It is more of a collective thing that we do as a team, so I would not say it is only the defence but the whole team," the  28-year-old explained.

"I would not say it is not only the defence that must get credit if you look at the way we play we press from the top. The guys up front are the ones that initiate the press, the whole team is doing the defensive work.”

Lebusa will now be hoping to get the nod from his coaches to line up against Sudanese side Al Hilal in a Caf Champions League opening Group B encounter at the Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (6pm).

Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus returned to the Ajax matchday squad for the first time in one month as the club faced PSV in the Dutch Cup on Wednesday.

The attacker was an unused substitute as The Lancers registered a 2-1 win at Johan Cruijff Arena to progress to the semi-finals of the cup competition.

Despite not taking to the pitch, his bench role is a significant step on his way to returning to match action.

Interestingly, his last appearance came against PSV in the Dutch Eredivisie exactly a month ago.

Kudus has been in and out of action since sustaining a meniscus injury while in Champions League action against Liverpool in October last year.

Expected out of action for "many months" according to his club, the 20-year-old made a return to training in December.

After a few weeks of training, he returned to action as a second-half substitute in the league fixture against PSV.

He, however, suffered a setback in the brief appearance, forcing him back into the treatment room.

“I know how complex this injury can be. He’s back on the pitch again but he had a setback,” Ajax coach Erik ten Hag recently said, according to Ghana Web.

“Now he’s taking part in certain group activities during training. We are being careful with him and taking it step by step.”

In Kudus' absence, Ajax suffered first-round elimination from the Champions League.

"If everything had gone well, we could have qualified for the knockout phase. That was just not our expectations. We've lost core players for seven years in two years," ten Hag said, as reported by AD in December.

"The reality is that we don't have a Champions League side at the moment. We have to build on that again.

"Players like [David] Neres and Kudus, like [Ryan] Gravenberch, could have made a great move in their development had they been fit. Then it might have been possible [to qualify to the knockout stage]."

Ajax signed Kudus from Danish fold Nordsjaelland in July last year. He has so far made five appearances in all competitions for The Lancers.

Indian women's national team goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan was into sports right from her childhood. But football? No, certainly not. 

Rather, she was more engrossed in playing basketball in school. She had even tried her hands in discus, javelin, and shot put but had hardly played football. Hence her entry into the sport was fortuitous, to say the least. 

"My sports teacher in school informed that there is a state trial going on for U19 girls. He suggested that I should go and appear for the trials. That wasn't really my choice," revealed the India international to Goal. 

However, after a lot of cajoling, like an obedient student, she appeared for the trials. And that was the turning point in her life. With her selection into the team, her tryst with football began that would define the course for the rest of her life. 

"Honestly, I never really thought of playing football professionally in that sense. It is still not professional in India. It was just following the passion kind of thing."

But like most budding footballers, she wanted to be a striker. Strikers attract the king's share of attraction, goals are celebrated while saves are often brushed under the carpet. Iker Casillas summed it up perfectly when he said," Being a good person is like being a goalkeeper. No matter how many goals you save, some people will only remember the ones you missed."

Nonetheless, Chauhan soon understood that she would do better with a role reversal. So instead of scoring goals, she started focusing on saving them. 

"I have tried playing in various positions in the outfield but I realised that the skills and attributes that I have can be best used as a keeper. Hence I decided to become a keeper," she explained. 

With the gloves on, she started to grow as a player. Moreover, her lessons in basketball came to her aid. 

"When you play different sports, you pick up certain attributes which you don't really realise at that time but later on, you get to utilise those. Playing basketball helped me to have a better hand-eye co-ordination along with a better grip. That helped me as a goalkeeper."

However, the absence of competitive minutes was hindering her progress. 

"Right from the start, the biggest challenge was to get a proper training set up to play football and get competitive action. I have had years when we did not get any tournament in the year.  I learnt most of my basics in the national camps. This has to change as you learn the most in your formative years."

She even decided to get back to academics and moved to England to pursue M.Sc in Sports Management from Loughborough University. To earn a few shillings she worked as a student ambassador and in the free time, she started appearing for trials. 

She was picked up by Milwall FC but since she was on a student visa, she was not eligible to sign a professional contract. According to the rules of the FA — English football’s governing body — a player on a student visa cannot join a club in the top two tiers of women’s football.

Hence, she appeared for trials with third division outfit West Ham United Ladies and got selected. She became the first choice keeper and spent three years in two stints with the Hammers. 

But like most professional players it has not been a smooth ride. She suffered an ACL injury while playing for West Ham which kept her out for almost a whole season. 

"The journey has been full of challenges. Injuries have played a major part. I got an ACL injury and I had to be away for nine months. I was playing for West Ham back then. Having that injury at that point was a huge setback. But I moved on from that. You don't have much time to think about your mistakes. Then I came back and became the captain of India and till now I have retained the number one position. 

"Apart from injuries, your performance also goes up and down when you are playing at this elite level. It challenges you mentally. But athletes are stronger than they think they are. I think in the Hero Gold Cup, I could have done a lot better. That was a very low period. We did not play to the expectations. But that instilled in us a zeal to come back stronger."

After the disappointment in Gold Cup, the Indian team won the SAFF Championship which was a sort of redemption for the team and especially for the keeper. She acknowledged that the rough patch of form forced her to introspect and was a learning period that would help her bring out the best once again. 

"I analysed my performance. Went through the videos. I worked on myself. I prepared myself better mentally. It was a huge learning curve for me. More than anyone else, I had to prove it to myself that I had it in me. 

"We lost to Nepal in the Gold Cup, our arch-rival in the South Asian region. But we defeated them in SAFF. So going to their home ground and retaining the trophy was very important for us. I am very proud of the comeback."

The 28-year-old has long been the number one choice for the Indian national team. But she has never taken the spot for granted. For her, it has always been about earning the right to play. With the AFC Asian Cup coming up in less than 12 months' time, Chauhan is in no mood to slip up.

List the best wingers in India right now and Rahul KP will feature in it. 

The Malayali winger, who hails from Thrissur, is just 20 years old but is putting up a claim to be known as the best Indian players at Kerala Blasters this season. 

The 2017 U-17 World Cupper, who scored one goal in three starts last season, already has three goals in nine starts after 15 rounds of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL). And Kerala Blasters have hugely benefitted from his skillset in the final third. 

Kibu Vicuna has used him primarily as a right-winger and also at times as a forward. What makes Rahul different from other Indian wingers is how direct he is when attacking his marker. He has no qualms about taking on full-backs and running in behind defences to latch onto balls from the midfield. Once he is at the end of the final pass, he not only has a powerful strike in his arsenal but also can outjump most defenders in the league and send headers on target. 

Two out of his three goals this season have come against Blasters' rivals Bengaluru. And on both occasions, he beat India international goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu at his near post with thunderous strikes from the right side of the box that left the keeper with very little time to react.

His strikes showed not only his ability to finish moves but also his confidence to take a shot from that part of the field whereas many other wingers, in his position, would have been tempted to take one or two additional touches before attempting a strike. 

For his third goal, he made a clever run towards the far post and outjumped everyone inside the box to head in an equalising goal for his team against FC Goa. He is currently the second-youngest player after Rahim Ali, to score at least two goals this season, having scored his second goal when he was 20 years and 310 days old. 

Only Lallianzuala Chhangte and Sunil Chhetri, both of whom have played four games more than Rahul has, has had more shots on target this season than the Blasters forward. Rahul has had 12 shots on target in 13 matches, compared Chhetri's 13 from 17 and Chhangte's 14 from 17. 

Rahul KP also has the second-best differential amongst Indian players between expected goals (1.76) and actual goals scored (three) this season. (+1.24 xG value).

He has also proved that he is very much a team player and has linked up with very well with the likes of Jordan Murray and Facundo Pereyra this season. The attack has also been boosted by the quick feet and sheer pace that he adds to the flanks whenever he is on the ball. 

He is also one of the players who have benefitted from their experience of playing abroad with the India U-17 team and also enjoying regular first-team minutes with the Indian Arrows in the I-League. In Rahul's 13 appearances for Blasters this season, he has only had to be substituted twice. He is a player who has the energy levels to keep running for 90 minutes. 

Kerala Blasters assistant coach Ishfaq Ahmed, who has seen Rahul train from close quarters, has already called on the player to be picked for the national team. He had said, "We are one of the teams who are playing with an Indian striker. It shows how coaches are confident in Indian strikers also, like how Rahul is also grabbing his chance with both hands.

"If the national team coach (Stimac) is watching, I think Rahul can be there. He has speed and strength. Even though it seems like he's not very tall, he can outjump any defender in the league. I think he's a great prospect for the senior national team."

The player also has set a high ceiling for himself and had recently said he wants to be the best in the country and break Sunil Chhetri's records. 

"I want to be the best in the country and I want to work hard for it, no matter what. Players who have created history, they are human too. For example, if Sunil Chhetri has scored so many goals for the country -- I want to break that record. I want to keep it as a challenge for myself. If I keep my expectations low, then I am not going to reach anywhere.”

"If I keep my expectations high and work hard for it, I will get something out of it. Hard work never goes waste. I want to be the best player in India and I am going to do whatever it takes," he had told the AIFF TV.

Rahul seems to have a composed head on his shoulders which will help him on his pursuit for a regular role with the Indian national team. He recently signed a contract with Blasters till 2025 and that bodes well for the player's career. And in the Thrissurkaaran winger, the Yellows have a fine young talent on the flanks.

Ahead of Chennaiyin's crucial Indian Super League (ISL) fixture against Jamshedpur on Wednesday, head coach Csaba Laszlo had said that the game wouldn't be decided by just one goal. 

"I think one goal won't decide this game. Jamshedpur is always dangerous. It will be very important that we have the concentration and score from the chances we get," Laszlo had said on the eve of the game. 

But not only did Chennaiyin once again fail in front of the goal, Enes Sipovic's own goal in the 90th minute gifted Jamshedpur three extremely valuable points in the race for the top four. 

It was a must-win tie for both teams as neither team could afford to lose more ground in the race for the top four. They did not want to take any risks in the beginning and that resulted in a cagey affair for most of the first half. 

Chennaiyin were a threat whenever they pushed forward to score a goal. Their best effort came at the half-hour mark when Lallianzuala Chhangte found Rahim Ali's run into the box. The Indian forward took his shot well but Ricky Lallawmawma pulled off a goalline block to keep the game goalless. 

Jamshedpur were without their star striker Nerijus Valskis who missed the game due to an injury. And his absence was clearly felt as the Men of Steel looked ineffective in the final third. 

Without Valskis, David Grande was given the responsibility to come up with goals and he nearly did after the break. He got on the end of Peter Hartley's flick-on from an Aitor Monroy free-kick delivered into the box but sent his effort inches over the crossbar. 

At the other end, new signing Manuel Lanzarote, who was starting just his second game since joining the club in the January transfer window, was getting marked out of the game by an alert Jamshedpur defence that seemed like they had clear instructions on how to tackle the former FC Goa playmaker. 

Even without Lanzarote being able to make much of an impact, Chennaiyin still had chances here and there in the second half but they simply didn't have the composure to convert them into goals. Chennaiyin have only scored 11 goals from 17 games this season - three goals fewer than the next worst scorers. They have also fired blanks for three games in a row - that is just criminal for a playoff aspirant. 

For the Men of Steel, Hartley and Stephen Eze were vigilant at the back and Eze, in particular, contributed immensely with his blocks and interceptions to deny and frustrate the Machans on multiple occasions. 

It looked like the game was slipping away from Jamshedpur as Laldinliana, Alex Lima and Eze had to be forced off the field due to injuries at various points in the second half. But quite remarkably, they found a late winner without having registered a single shot on target in the entire game. 

Grande attacked the Chennaiyin box from the right side, cut in on his left foot and forced a heavy deflection off Sipovic's legs to find the net and force a match-winning own goal.

Jamshedpur were defensively solid and had the mentality to keep the Chennaiyin attack in check but their overall performance still left a lot to be desired. They still lack goalscorers in the final third and also now has the worst passing accuracy this season among ISL teams. At the end of the day, regardless of how they've achieved the win, it's still three points that keep them in the race for the playoffs. 

U.S. men's national team midfielder Brenden Aaronson scored his first goal for Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday as he led the way in a 3-1 win over Austria Wien.

The 20-year-old midfielder was joined on the scoresheet by Sekou Koita and Luca Sucic to take down an Austria Wien side that featured American Erik Palmer-Brown in defense.

Aaronson joined RB Salzburg, managed by fellow countryman Jesse Marsch, in January with the Austrian side paying a $6 million transfer fee (£4.6m) for the midfielder, plus up to $3 million (£2.3m) in performance bonuses.

What Aaronson had to say

"It was fantastic to be there for the team. Austria really tested us, and it was therefore a really important win. Our mentality was the key to our success today.

"The confidence we gained in recent weeks carried us through when we went behind."

What Marsch had to say

"We reacted well after conceding. Until that point I was pleased with the performance, more or less.

"We then stepped up another gear and showed what makes us stand out. We showed mentality and fearlessness. I'm pleased for the two guys to get their first goals. I am sure that we will see a lot more from Brenden and Luka."

Goal's view

"Goals like this are why the USMNT should be excited about everything Aaronson has to offer.

"The former Philadelphia Union midfielder already seems relatively comfortable with his new club, having now started two of the five matches he's played for Salzburg so far.

"On Wednesday's goal, Aaronson showed the skill on the ball that has been there for quite some time, but what was more impressive was the poise and patience to pick his opportunity to find the far post.

"Those aspects of his game have come along relatively recently, with Aaronson truly breaking out in MLS last season after emerging as a legitimate threat in the final third.

"With the USMNT scheduled to face Northern Ireland in March, Aaronson looks a likely bet to be in what will almost certainly be a European-based squad.

"The midfield picture is very deep at the moment, with Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Yunus Musah involved, while Gio Reyna and Christian Pulisic could also see time as a No. 10 at some point.

"But Aaronson is seemingly in a very good place right now as the 20-year-old midfielder's next step is off to a hot start."

Ryan Tolmich, Assistant Editor

Jose Mourinho said Tottenham's performance reminded him of "the mouse and the cat" after Spurs fell short in a back-and-forth FA Cup clash with Everton.

Tottenham ended up on the wrong side of a thrilling 5-4 fifth-round clash, with Everton needing a goal from Bernard in extra time to move past Mourinho's side.

Wednesday's match was the highest-scoring game of Mourinho's Spurs tenure as well as the highest-scoring FA Cup game between two top-flight teams since February 1961 when Sheffield Wednesday won 7-2 against Manchester United.

What did Mourinho have to say?

"I enjoyed it - and I didn't enjoy it. I enjoyed the way we played with the ball," he told BT Sport.

"We created, we had great movement, we scored goals, created chances. Showed great character to fight against incredible mistakes. But attacking football only wins matches when you don't make more mistakes than you create. We scored four goals and it was not enough.

"It hurts everyone. The feeling is we played really well with the ball, we were brave, we were the best team at 1-0 and in five minutes it was mistake, mistake, mistake, goal, goal, goal.

"We fought back again but had more mistakes. It was the mouse and the cat. The mouse was our mistakes and the cat was us trying to compensate for that."

The bigger picture

Tottenham exit the FA Cup in the fifth round, ending the club's hopes of pushing on to end their ongoing trophy drought.

The team's best chance to do so will almost certainly come in the Carabao Cup final, where Mourinho and co. will face Manchester City on April 25.

As things stand, Spurs sit eighth in the Premier League, four points off the top four and 14 points back from league leaders City.

In addition, Spurs also remain in the Europa League as the knockout stages near kickoff.

What's next for Tottenham?

Spurs are set to travel to the Etihad this weekend to take on Manchester City, who made short work of Swansea in their own FA Cup match.

After that, Tottenham will then take on Wolfsberger in Austria to kickstart their first tie of the Europa League knockouts.

Further reading

Kane moves second on Tottenham all-time goalscorer chart with strike against Everton

Christophe Galtier has lavished praises on Aguibou Camara for his notable role in Lille’s 1-0 triumph over Dijon in Wednesday’s French Cup Round of 64 fixture.

The 19-year-old Guinea international was handed his senior appearance for Les Dogues against the Ligue 1 outfit at the Stade Gaston Gerard – leading the frontline alongside USA international Timothy Weah.

He marked his debut with a goal with just 16 minutes into the encounter, finding the net after receiving a pass from Jeremy Pied to beat Benin Republic international Saturnin Allagbe from close range. That effort proved to be the only goal of the keenly-contested encounter as the visiting side qualified for the next round.

In his post-match assessment, Galtier is impressed with the performance of the young forward against David Linares’ team, while pointing out the qualities that makes him so special.

“That young people were able to participate in the preparation of the match, that Aguibou was able to participate and more than participate, is good,” Galtier told club website.

“I found him very solid in his game, disciplined tactically. He scored a decisive goal, it's good for him, it's an extra step for a young boy who often works with us and hasn't played since March.

“He arrived last season, I saw him play in the reserve team. I find him, at 19, having a certain personality in the game he doesn't lose a lot of balls, he's solid on his supports, and also versatile because he can play right or left.

“He is someone who quickly prints what is asked of him and corrects his mistakes so quickly. And, importantly, he enjoys a very special affection on the part of the group.

“We knew that by getting him started, he would have an outpouring of solidarity around him, because of his seriousness and his listening to training, his dynamism. He's appreciated.”

Camara was in action from start to finish while Mozambique’s Reinildo Mandava was not listed for action. Thanks to this result, the Stade Pierre-Mauroy giants are through to the Round of 32.

Lille, who have won all their last seven games across all competitions will take on Brest in Sunday’s Ligue 1 showdown. They lead the French topflight log after accruing 54 points from 24 outings so far in the 2020-21 campaign - two points above closest challengers Olympique Lyon.

Neymar is in danger of missing Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League knockout tie against Barcelona next week, manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted, and the injury he suffered may have been the result of a "lack of protection" from referees.

The forward exited the pitch in pain during the second half of a Coupe de France match with Caen on Wednesday, heading straight down the tunnel for treatment.

Now, PSG must wait on further testing to the attacker's left adductor region to determine whether he can feature in the crucial first leg of the Champions League last-16 clash.

What did Pochettino say about Neymar's injury?

“We'll see tomorrow with the doctor," Pochettino told Eurosport. "At the moment it’s difficult to say. Can he be there next week? I need more time and more info to find out."

About the refereeing, Pochettino added in his press conference, "I don't want to take it out on the way the opponent played and the way [Neymar] played his game. But I just have the feeling that sometimes there is a lack of protection during matches from refereeing. But it's just a feeling."

Pochettino said he did not regret picking Neymar in the Coupe de France contest, noting Neymar "was in perfect condition to play today."

Neymar 2020-21 injury history

Neymar missed several weeks earlier in the campaign because of a small tear in his left adductor, which is part of the groin area. After Wednesday's match, Pochettino confirmed his latest injury was also to the adductor, though most of the specifics remain unknown.

Neymar also battled ankle problems at the turn of the year.

Additional PSG injuries

If Neymar is ruled out of the Barcelona match, it would leave PSG down two starting attackers. Winger Angel Di Maria is already sidelined with a muscle issue.

Midfielder Marco Verratti's health status remains uncertain, and he didn't make the bench in Wednesday's cup match.

Ghana striker Richmond Boakye Yiadom reveals he has been inspired by Polish striker and Bayern Munich legend Robert Lewandowski to play in the central European country.

The striker sealed a short-term move to 14-time league champions Gornik Zabrze on Tuesday, a deal which lasts until the end of the season.

He was last on the books of Serbian outfit Red Star Belgrade, whom he left earlier this year upon the expiration of his contract.

''My target and ambition is to leave [Gornik] with a mark and name that would make people remember that a player came here from Ghana and played in Gornik Zabrze and was amazing. So, this is actually my target for now as a new player in Poland. To score as much as I can score," Boakye said, as reported by Kickgh.

"I know they have won 14 titles. I believe more in the fans because without the fans, there can't be a team. So for me to be here and see a traditional team like Gornik is amazing. I am willing to do my best to help the team to get far. All I can tell them is that I am here and part of the Gornik Zabrze family and I hope they will come and support us to victory when the stadium is opened.

"The cold is not new for me. One of my favourite players - Lewandowski - if he was able to play in Poland and move, then I think I have to go through it.

"I have played against Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski in the Champions League. As I always say he is one of my favourite strikers. So he was good and I like the way he plays and scores too. Again, I would say it was amazing to be on the field with Lewandowski."

Boakye initially spent two seasons with Red Star, scoring 27 league goals before heading for Chinese Super League fold Jiangsu Suning for a brief spell in 2018.

After returning from the Asian country where he scored three league goals in an injury-plagued season, he registered 13 top-flight goals for Red Star in 2018-19. The following term, he scored only one goal in another injury-ravaged campaign.

He has also featured for Italian sides Juventus, Genoa, Sassuolo, Atalanta and Latina, Spanish club Elche and Dutch outfit Roda JC Kerkrade

Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman defended Samuel Umtiti after the defender made errors on both of Sevilla's goals in Wednesday's Copa del Rey match.

Jules Kounde dribbled straight through Umtiti in the first half on the way to scoring Sevilla's opener, while Umtiti kept Ivan Rakitic onside before the Croatian scored his side's second in the 85th minute against his former club. 

Sevilla won the semi-final first leg 2-0, leaving Barca with plenty of work to do in the second leg at Camp Nou on March 3.

What Koeman said about Umtiti

"We left a lot of space in the first goal, not just in defence, but from the midfield," Koeman told a press conference after the match. 

"And in the second goal we have not done a good job creating the offside. Umtiti was good in the game. He made mistakes like everyone else does.

"It's part of football. It's not fair to go after him. We all lose and we all win together."

The bigger picture

Umtiti has struggled through a difficult time at Barca recently, making just 18 total appearances last season as he battled injury and poor form.

The 27-year-old has been linked with a move away, with his former club Lyon reportedly keen last summer. 

The France international did not make his 2020-21 season debut until December as he battled a knee injury, but has recently worked his way back into Koeman's plans.

Umtiti has now started five of Barca's last six matches in all competitions as he looks to rebuild his Camp Nou career.

What's next for Barcelona

Koeman's side will face Alaves in La Liga on Saturday before a much-anticipated Champions League last-16 first leg against PSG on Tuesday.

Further reading

Harry Kane is now on his own in second on Tottenham's all-time scoring list after netting in Spurs' FA Cup clash with Everton.

The England star's goal came in the 83rd minute, with Spurs down 4-3 in the final moments of Wednesday's fifth-round match.

Kane's goal forced extra time, but it was not enough as Spurs fell 5-4 thanks to a late goal from Everton winger Bernard.

Where does this leave Kane in Spurs history?

Kane’s finish was his second in as many games, having previously been level with Bobby Smith in second place following Spurs' 2-0 win over West Brom.

With Wednesday's goal, the forward surpassed Smith to take second on his own, having now scored 209 goals in 318 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham.

The England captain is now within 57 goals of Tottenham’s all-time record scorer Jimmy Greaves, who hit 266 strikes in 379 appearances between 1961 and 1970.

Martin Chivers and Cliff Jones round out Spurs' all-time top five, having scored 174 and 159 goals respectively.

A record-breaking day for Mourinho

Mourinho is normally known for his more pragmatic approach, with the Portuguese manager's teams usually leaning more towards the defensive side, but on Wednesday he saw his team caught up in one of the most free-scoring matches of his career.

In what was the 981st game of his managerial career, Wednesday's meeting with Everton was the first time a Mourinho side has both scored and conceded at least four goals in a single game.

It was also only the sixth time a Mourinho team has ever conceded four times, and the first time in a cup match since Chelsea's 4-2 defeat to Bradford City in January 2015.

Sanchez the striker

Davinson Sanchez was responsible for two of Spurs goals as he became the first Spurs defender to fire a brace in eight years.

The Colombian defender scored just three minutes into the match and then again in the 57th minute, with a goal from Erik Lamela nestled in between.

With those two goals, Sanchez became the first Spurs centre-back to score a brace since Jan Vertonghen's double against Liverpool in the Premier League in March 2013.

Further reading

'Kane will beat every possible record' - Mourinho heaps praise upon 'special' Tottenham striker

Kelechi Iheanacho's header sent Leicester City into the FA quarter-finals for the second time in a row as they pipped Percy Tau's Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 on Wednesday.

After replacing Jamie Vardy in the 62nd minute, the Foxes had to wait for Iheanacho to turn Youri Tielemans' cross to the back of the net with his header in the 94th minute of injury time.

The winning goal came just a week after the Nigerian striker ended his Premier League goal drought in a 2-0 win over Fulham at the King Power Stadium.

Wilfred Ndidi returned to the starting XI after recovering from his injury setback and he played for 62 minutes while Ghana's Daniel Amartey featured from start to finish for the hosts.

After watching Brighton & Hove Albion's last four matches as an unused substitute, South Africa forward Percy Tau returned to Graham Potter's starting XI and he played for the entire duration.

Tau struggled to make an impact in the game with no shot registered, but he managed a key pass and he succeeded with just a tackle.

At the end of the encounter, Iheanacho was rewarded for his late heroics as the Man of the Match after he narrowly pipped Vontae Daley-Campbell and James Maddison.

He will turn his attention to Saturday's Premier League outing when the Foxes host Liverpool at the King Power Stadium.

The 24-year-old has played 19 matches across all competitions this season with five goals to his name, of which three came in the Uefa Europa League.

Thomas Tuchel is ready to give goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga his first start under him against Barnsley in the FA Cup, and a clean slate after his struggles under Frank Lampard over the last 18 months.

The £71 million signing from Athletic Club has been the subject of ridicule after a bad run of form saw him post the lowest save percentage in the Premier League last season. A series of errors also saw Chelsea lose patience in him and sign Edouard Mendy from Rennes in the summer as 'competition', but he quickly became the outright No 1.

However, Tuchel wants his arrival to mark a turning point for the Spain international and has left open the possibility that he could become the first choice again.

What did Tuchel say?

"Absolutely, absolutely," Tuchel replied when asked if he thinks Kepa can kickstart his Chelsea career. "He will play tomorrow; he will start tomorrow. From outside, we had a view on his situation and saw some difficulties on the sporting side.

"Maybe also the circumstances of his transfer is weighing a little bit on his shoulders. That was the impression from outside.

"From inside, I see a nice guy. I see a nice personality, an open character, a hard-working guy, with obviously a lot of quality. So the good thing for him is that we start fresh, it's a new start for him. I don't have a history with him and I hope there will be no difficulties because I don't see them coming.

"He's a clear guy, an open guy. He does everything to impress in training. I'm happy and I feel all three goalkeepers in a good atmosphere, they are competitors to each other, it's a very special position in football of course, it's a very decisive position, it has its own rules.

"If you make mistakes everybody sees them and talks about them. So you need a lot of mental strength and quality and I see this in all three goalkeepers. Kepa has a chance tomorrow and I hope he can show what he shows in training.

"We didn't make a change in the first game and Edou [Mendy] was strong in the moment. So tomorrow is an opportunity to show and hopefully, it's very important for me to say this, he doesn't want to overachieve. I want him to do a normal match tomorrow.

"He does not have to show me or anybody else tomorrow that he is ready to be Spain's No 1 in the summer. He just has to show his quality. Not more or less. So we have to manage expectations because I don't expect him to score and keep a clean sheet.

"I just want him to help us with his quality and he gives a solid performance to help the team. He has big goals to achieve and personal ambition. This is normal; it's why he's here."

What is Chelsea's transfer position on Kepa?

Chelsea are understood to have been open about letting Kepa go on loan or in a permanent deal in the last two transfer windows but his high wages have blocked potential suitors.

Tuchel explained that the club may want a return on investment from Kepa and their other signings, but he wants the 26-year-old to forget his price tag.

"No matter if we bought them for crazy money if they come through the academy, or they were a free agent when they arrived, it is our job to push every player to the limit, this is what counts," Tuchel added.

"We are pretty selfish. Why? Because we want to have them in the best shape on the pitch. Of course, the club wants the market value kept the same or increased, but for me, we want the guy in the best shape and we want competition in every position."

Who else is being rotated in for the FA Cup fixture?

The Blues will use their FA Cup tie with Championship club Barnsley as a chance to give minutes fringe players beyond Kepa. Hakim Ziyech and N'Golo Kante have already been confirmed in the line up for tomorrow.

Tuchel also said there was a "big chance" that Billy Gilmour would start, while Christian Pulisic has been training with the squad after missing the trip to Sheffield United through 'personal reasons'.

However, Chelsea will use this as a chance to rest Werner who has a dead leg from winning the match-winning penalty on Sunday against Chris Wilder's side.

"It is still painful with contact so we took him out of half of the training today when we did some small-sided games and the possession games," he added.

"We didn't risk it today and we will not risk it tomorrow. We could have risked it but the decision stands. Hopefully, he will recover and be back on Monday [to face Newcastle]."

A number of academy prospects may also get a chance at Oakwell, including Tino Anjorin and Lewis Bate, who have travelled to be part of the squad.

Further reading

Thomas Tuchel admits that Chelsea have an advantage after seeing the upcoming away leg of their Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid moved to a neutral venue.

UEFA announced that the tie would be moved to Arena Nationala in Romania's capital city of Bucharest due to travel restrictions in place between the UK and Spain because of coronavirus.

Atleti were one of many clubs in European competition charged with finding a neutral venue this week after Covid-19 threw up problems for a host of clubs.

What did Thomas Tuchel say?

"I can understand the feeling," he said ahead of his side's FA Cup tie with Barnsley. "Obviously, they don’t have the home advantage so I can absolutely understand the feeling. Do I have anything to do with it? No. was it our decision? No.

"So from now on, no more reflection for that. Don’t doubt that they will be ready to fight against us. They will be ready 100 per cent to fight in Bucharest against us. I can understand their feeling, but they will be ready and it is our duty to be ready to play them in 10 days, 12 days.

"I knew of this possibility for some days and now it's confirmed. Honestly, my job is to adapt. So ok, we have to play there, now we have to adapt our travel routine, to adapt our schedule the day before and after. So we have to adapt and find solutions.

"This is the decision; there is no time to doubt and reflect on it. We saw it coming for some days and after this press conference we will deal with the consequences and go to get the best result."

What are the other arrangements ahead of the match?

The match will take place on the same date of 23 February and it will kick off at the same time of 8pm GMT. It is understood that the tie at Stamford Bridge currently remains unaffected by the Covid-19 rules which are impacting football.

What do Atletico Madrid say about it?

A statement on the Los Rojiblancos website reads: "Faced with the impossibility of the English team travelling to Madrid after the entry restrictions have been extended beyond the date of the match, Atletico Madrid has sought alternatives in recent days in different countries due to the entry restrictions that affect several territories.

"Finally, taking into account all the conditions of access to the country, availability of facilities, preparation of stadiums and situation of the pandemic, it has been agreed with UEFA that the venue for the first leg is the Nacional Arena de Bucharest."

The Nacional Arena, where FCSB, Dinamo Bucharest and the Romanian national team play their home games, is a stadium with great memories for Atletico, as it is where they won their second Europa League title in 2012, defeating Athletic Club 3-0.

Diego Simeone's side have the added challenge of having a number of their star players out having tested positive for the virus. Those who are currently self-isolating include Thomas Lemar, Hector Herrera, Joao Felix, Moussa Dembele, Yannick Carrasco and Mario Hermoso.

Further reading

Paul Onuachu powered Genk to the Belgian Cup quarter-final with his late match-winning goal in their 1-0 win over Sint-Truiden on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old striker broke the deadlock at the Luminus Arena in the 87th minute, after he benefitted from Bryan Heynen's assist.

The strike was Onuachu's first goal since he scored a brace against Zulte-Waregem on January 27, after which he played two league matches without finding the back of the net.

So far this season, the Nigeria international has scored 23 goals in 26 matches across all competitions, which include 22 goals in the First Division A.

He played the entire duration of the encounter but his compatriot Cyril Dessers was an unused substitute.

Sint-Truiden, on the other hand, had Angola's Jonathan Buatu, Guinea's Mory Konate on parade while Nigeria's Junior Pius watched on from the bench.

After finding his goalscoring boots on Wednesday, Onuachu will aim to build on his cup heroics and help Genk return to winning ways after Sunday's 2-1 loss to Anderlecht.

They travel to KV Oostende for their next league fixture on Saturday.

John van den Brom's side are third in the Belgian top-flight table with 43 points after 26 games - 17 points behind leaders Club Brugge.